Acanthus - Bear's Breeches

Acanthus - Bear's Breeches

A genus of approximately 30 species, four are most commonly grown as ornamental. They have attractive foliage and flowers in architecturally attractive spikes. The basal leaves are simple, opposite, and may have margins with soft thorns. The flowers are held in long, erect spikes and each flower is subtended by a showy, spiny, leaf-like bract. Plants spread by way of roots that can regenerate new plants from broken segments. The seeds are large and seedlings are fast growing.